Sourdough Starter

I’ve been playing around with sourdough since I started my Breads & Rolls class in January. My mom wasn’t a bread baker so I didn’t start to understand how bread baking works until we studied it in school.

I’m hooked. In love. Amazed. Intrigued.

After a month of watching my starter grow and baking some incredible loaves of bread, I thought you’d like to see it too. There are so many different ways to make a starter and feed it, or keep it going. This is just what I’m doing right now – and it’s by no means the only way. It’s just one of many.

A Happy Gluten-Free Sourdough Starter

If you’ve never made a sourdough starter before, here are a few things you should know:

Don’t worry if your gluten-free starter goes completely flat when you stir it – it’ll rise back up. There’s no gluten to hold the gas in.

Baking with sourdough starters is less predictable than baking with manufactured yeast because you don’t know exactly how much yeast is in the starter.

The wetter the starter, the more enzyme activity there is. It’s more active due to the larger amount of water.

You can leave it on the counter and feed it once or twice a day if you bake often.

If you don’t bake often, it can be refrigerated and feed a few times a week.

Sourdough starters can also be frozen for up to a year. (But really, what fun is that?)

Think of your starter like a pet – it has to be fed regularly to keep the yeast alive and active.

This starter uses equal parts water and flour by weight. Don’t hate me. You’re going to need a scale.

Why? It’s more exact and, quite frankly, it’s easier. Your bread will be more consistent and the results will be much better. I promise.

A starter should be fed at least 3 – 5 times before the first use. The older it is the better the flavor. Don’t expect a great sourdough flavor after two weeks. Like all good things, it needs to be nurtured over time. Still, even if your starter is young it will add lightness and flavor, both of which most gluten-free bread desperately needs.

Sourdough Starter from the Side - See the Little Gas Bubbles...

Here’s what I did to get started. Have fun. Bread recipes soon to come.

Combine all ingredients in a large container. (You want it to be big so that your starter has room to grow.) Cover and set at room temperature for 24 hours and feed again – only without the yeast.

When you feed the starter, stir it well before adding the flour and water mixture making sure to scrape the bottom well. After the first two feedings, you can cut the amount of flour and water by 50%. Repeat for a total of 3 to 5 feedings before refrigerating. Continue to feed daily if left at room temperature or every few days if refrigerated.

If your starter has been refrigerated, pull it out at least 24 hours before you want to use it. Feed your starter and let it sit at room temperature until use for best results.

Always replace the amount you use in your baking. For example, if you use 200 grams of your sourdough starter, replace it with 100 grams of water and 100 grams of flour.

Notes

Yeast is only added when the starter is first created. Do not add additional yeast when you feed the starter. As you feed the starter, the yeast will grow and multiply.

Comments

I am totally intrigued. I think I may have to start this starter, just so I can make the recipe you'll post yet. :) I never did anything with a starter before going GF (except amish friendship bread,, not sure that's the same though).

Awesome! I'm so glad you're sharing this!
I want to start with this, but I have a couple of questions. (I've always wanted to do a sourdough, but have always been scared!)
First - when you say a large container...how large do you mean? Like 1 quart, 1 gallon,...?
Then - when I feed it, how much do I feed it? You say to cut it by 50% after the first few feedings, but not how much to start out with when feeding it...
Sorry - this questions are probably obvious to someone more experienced, but I've never been a baker, and yeast/sourdough scare me!

@Becky D, I have my starter in a big plastic gladware container. (It's BPA free...)
I fed it with 110 grams of flour & water each to start with - that's listed at the top of the recipe.
It's fun to play around with...I've found that as long as I feed it regularly it keeps fermenting and developing flavor.
Hugs,
Amy

I have been thinking about starting my own starter for a while, but wasn't sure if the starches/ sugars that are in gluten-free (more, specifically grain-free) flours would feed the yeast enough to keep the starter from "dying out". I noticed that your basic flour blend has sorghum flour in it (I'm pretty sure this is a "grain"), and potato starch (while, no this is not a grain it doesn't "agree" with my digestion well). Do you feel that these would be needed to make a good sour-dough starter, or would there be enough sugars/ starches in the bean or coconut based flours to feed it?
Also, @ the bakery, we had the gluten version of a starter down to an exact science. We would spread the starter out on a sheet pan to dehydrate so that we had starter "flakes" that could be reconstituted if we somehow lost our starter (this did come in handy a couple of times!). I'm not sure how old your starter is, but have you experimented with this at all? I'm asking because I rarely have room in my refrigerator!
And any advanced reading you would reccomend on gluten-free/ grain-free bread baking would be great!
Thanks, Eryn

@Eryn, I am sure that this would work with all bean flour & tapioca starch. Can you eat that? There's no harm in trying it to see what happens...and I don't see why a 100% bean flour starter wouldn't work. Beans have carbs in them. I'd put it out and watch it to see how it behaves.
As far as the dried flakes go, I've never done that. It sounds interesting, though.
I don't have any advanced reading resources...everything I read is based in wheat flour and I play with it until I get it right gluten-free.
Hugs,
Amy

I am so excited about this! I wonder if the yeast in the sourdough starter will allow for the difficult-to-digest (for me) parts of the chickpea flour in your flour blend to become more easily digestible...kinda like how I've read that for some people that are mildly gluten intolerant, sourdough bread is easier to digest than regular wheat bread. (not that I'm about to eat regular sourdough bread!)

@Alta, I don't know if it would make it more digestible but I use additional flour in the recipe. I am going to try it with some other flours soon. :) Would love to be able to bake bread for you the next time we get together.
Hugs,
Amy

I'm really excited about trying GF sourdough. If there is any wheat bread product I miss, it's sourdough. My mum lived in the Yukon when she was a teenager and there is a big sourdough culture (no pun intended) up north. I'm working on sprouting and milling my own flours so I think I'll wait to have some of that ready before trying this. Thank you!

How much of the starter gets used in bread baking? About how many loaves should I expect per week/month/etc?
I've wanted to do a sourdough, but I worry about being lazy or forgetful.
I saw Bob's Red Mill has an active dry yeast in the refrigerated section at Whole Foods. Would this be the best bet for yeast to use?

@AmandaonMaui, The amount of starter used depends on the recipe. Loaves per month/week etc. would depend on how much you fed your starter and how regularly. It's not something you can get lazy about - it has to be fed on a regular basis or the yeast will die out.
I would use dry instant yeast. Just a pinch.
Hugs,
Amy

Oh Miz Amy...you did it!!!That bread looks amazing and I can hardly wait to give it a try. I know that you have worked on this starter for awhile and it has to be great, just look at that bread. Thank you so much for bringing this wonderful new bread to Full Plate Thursday and please come back!

Hello Amy,
Thank-you so much for your inspirational post about your sourdough starter, it's given me the impetus to start experimenting again. I sadly disposed of my starter when I was diagnosed with Coeliac disease; I'm sure I made the day of the compost worms I fed it too!
Elaine.

Hi Ames! it is amazing to me that you can pretty much feed yeast anything with a bit of sugar in it (naturally occurring of course!) and it is happy as a clam! I have a traditional starter but would definitely try this type out to see how it went! You are such a wealth of information! Hugs! Alex

@marg, They are two different products - instant yeast works immediately and active dry yeast needs to be hydrated first. Active dry yeast is coated with a substance that can break down gluten bonds over time but since there's no gluten in the bread that wouldn't matter though I used instant yeast because it seemed to be the best all around choice. You can most certainly try it and see how it works out.

@Jana, No, Jules' flour works totally different than mine. Yeast thrives on starch and the starter will be different with her flour because it's all white starch. Plus, she has xanthan gum in her flour blend. I don't know how that would work in a starter. Feel free to play around with it and come up with your own version - you can use the same basic formula. But the result will be different and I can't tell you that it will work.
Hugs,
Amy

I was just checking in to see if you had posted the recipe for the bread pictured in this post. Sourdough bread is the one thing that I am missing SO MUCH! Please let me know when it will be posted? I love your site! You're an inspiration to me and my 7 year old daughter - both newly diagnosed Celiacs.

@Amy,
Thanks for linking the recipe. If I wanted to make it more "sourdoughy" how would I do that? I assume adding more of the starter would be involved, but then do I reduce the amount of the flour mix? Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks! :)

Thank you, Amy, for your email and for posting your link here. I'd already found the bread recipe, but I'm sure others will like being able to go it directly from here.
Questions:
1, Since I just found your blog recently, is there also link to your "Flour Blend"? (Will try to do a search.)
2. Are you the same Amy that sells products in GF sections of markets?

Hi Amy!
Just wondered if you mean air tight when you say cover. I know you use a big plastic container, do you cover it with the lid that comes with the container? I know some fermented foods need cheesecloth or something that lets them "breathe" over the top, held on with a rubber band or something similar.
My scale is ordered and I can't wait to get started!

@Maegan, Yes, I cover it with the lid that comes with it. No cheesecolth. It would stink to high heaven!
You can leave it with a towel over it on your counter for the first week or so while it gets started. You can even skip the yeast and let it ferment with the natural yeast that's on the flour and in the air, or even use grapes to get it started. There's so many different ways to do sourdough. This is just how I did it here.
Hugs,
Amy

I am SO excited to try this, but have a question. I am only into the first 26 hours, so I have fed it once. Measuring everything, but it seems very dry/tacky. It doesn't look ANYTHING like your picture. Should I add a little bit more water? I used your flour blend recipe, but used buckwheat and sorghum flours with the starch since that is what our household likes. Thanks in advance for your help!

I am weighing. My scale doesn't do grams (I plan on getting to town to get one of those tomorrow), so I converted grams to oz and am using the exact same amts of water and flour mixture. Was wondering if maybe one of the flours I am using could be more absorbing and would require a little more water or is it universal for all flours?

I just made your bread yesterday. The loaf is half gone already. It was amazing. It's the best Gluten Free bread that I have ever made. My husband even liked it. In fact he told me to get your recipe book for my Valentine present. Thanks so much for the recipe.

Just found your website and I'm loving it! The family is going gluten free. Not because we have been proven to have allergies, just because I know it will be better for us and already has been after only two weeks. Thanks for the inspiration!
I have been a bread baker all my life, and going raw and vegetarian etc has been difficult without bread. LOVE all the resources here regarding baking without gluten. I've mixed up the sourdough starter and been feeding it, and all looks well but when I stir it up all the liquid is on the bottom and the dough has risen above it. I stir it up well and add more flour and water. But each time it is separated when I go to feed it again. The doughy part does have air bubbles etc and is puffy. I'm assuming it's good, but just wondering if anyone else has this happen also.... Thanks!

@Lauri, It separates because there is no gluten to hold it in suspension. Don't worry - that's how it's supposed to be. Just stir it before you use it in a recipe and stir as you feed as you've been doing.
Hugs,
Amy

The bread is AWESOME!! I baked my loaf on Thursday and it was gone before evening!!! So tender and moist and delicious. Thank you so much for sharing your recipes and talents with us!!! Do you have more recipes using the starter? I am anxious to try other recipes with the starter.
@Amy,

Thanks for the recipe however my Doctor said to try sour dough bread from the local bake shop. IM on a gluten diet so I was confused why she said that. It seems to me thatI need gluten free bread instead of regular sour dough. AM I right or wrong tony

@tony,
tony
posted on September 3, 2012 at 8:00 pm
Thanks for the recipe however my Doctor said to try sour dough bread from the local bake shop. IM on a gluten diet so I was confused why she said that. It seems to me thatI need gluten free bread instead of regular sour dough. AM I right or wrong

Hi Amy,
I love your website and am enthusiastic about getting started! But....
I have what must seems like a really silly question about your starter -- I have no idea what you mean by "feeding" it :( I'm in Europe and maybe the terminology is different. Do you mean I should add 110 gr of flour and 110ml of water to the original mixture every day? That seems like and awful lot..... Or I mix the ingredients and then just add some water a little every day? I'm sorry butI'm a little confused.
Many thanks and greeting from Switzerland,
Cecilia

@Cecilia, Great question, Cecilia. Sourdough starters are living things due to the yeast. So, you have to feed it to keep it alive. Once it's thriving, you can put it in the refrigerator and feed it every week or so. If you change the water to flour proportions it can throw off the recipes you use it in. The yeast feeds off the new flour that you add and you need the water to keep the ratio in balance. Does that help?

I made your sourdough starter with the same weight of water and flour you suggested and my starter is very heavy, hard to stir. It made great pancakes but it was so heavy, I didn't add any more flour. Before I try the bread, I worry it is too heavy and it seems you state the more water the better.

@Lisa Hutchings, Just make it as indicated in the recipe. It isn't like a gluten starter that has elasticity. When it's cold it is very dense and hard to stir. I don't know how you figured out the ratios for your pancake recipe but my sourdough bread recipe is incredible. :) Let me know if you have specific questions.

Hi Amy!
Back in 2011 you said you were going to play around with some other flours and I was wondering if you'd done that and what the results were. I'm thinking about trying the bean route... I would like to stay away from grains... I do like the look of your ancient grain mix, but you say no more than 20-30% of the flour... Is it too heavy? I am totally new to this, but also thought maybe spelt, buckwheat, millet or teff might be options. I went GF in Feb and am not going back. I just recently started eating GF oats, quinoa and brown rice again. I seem to be doing okay with them. I also tried some light Rye Wasa and I'm not so sure those work as well for me... Any thoughts? I'd love to try making the starter and then sourdough! :)

@Chryste, The starter I have on my blog is the one that I like best. FYI - spelt and rye are not gluten-free. Not sure if you were aware of that. The reason I say to sub 20 - 30% is that typically you can do that without changing the integrity of the recipe. Have fun with your starter!!

Amy - This isn't exactly the same kind of starter as yours, but I've developed a way to make a sourdough starter in 3 days using just sorghum flour and no sugar! Here's a link if you're curious: http://glutenfreegourmand.blogspot.com/2014/03/sourdough-starter-in-3-days.html
Your bread looks delicious! I'll have to check out that recipe.

So I decided to try this starter using two cups chickpea flour for the flour mix instead of one cup of chickpea and one cup of sourghum because I've used sourghum before and it has an awful flavour for gluten free baking. But oh goodness the smell! I always like to smell my sourdough starters to make sure they're on the right track but I can't bear to put my nose too close to this gluten free one because it's just getting worse.
I should note that it is definitely alive and has popped its top twice already and it's only two and a half days old, so that seems like a good hint that it is alive and well, but oh that smell is so pungent I keep wondering if it has gone off. If I start feeding it a mix of teff and buckwheat flour instead of chickpea and sourghum, will the smell be less offensive?
Thanks for doing a recipe in grams instead of cups! I chose this recipe because it was in grams and they are far more accurate than cups. I have two kitchen scales, one digital scale and one analog (the analog is my back up because the digital ones keep breaking).

Hi, Amy!
If the sourdough starts separating (with liquid on top) and not bubbling, is it dead? can I bring it back to life or do I need to pitch it?
Also, do you use it for other baked goods besides baking the bread?
Thanks!
Erin

Hi Erin! Great question. Just stir the liquid back in - that's part of the fermentation process. If you dump the liquid, you'll lose part of your hydration and when you use it in a recipe it won't work as intended. How long has it been since you've fed your starter? Is it at room temperature or is it refrigerated?
Let me know!!! xoxo Amy

I replied but must have forgot to hit "post". I was feeding it every day at room temp and missed one. It also had started not showing the little bubbles before it ended up separating.
I have it in the fridge now as I don't want to end up with too much starter. I still have a lot as the bread only uses a little. What else do you use it for?
:)
thanks!

Hi Erin! I use my starter in breads. This starter is 100% hydration - meaning that the liquid and the flour are equal weights. If you are comfortable baking with a scale, you could play around with recipes and sub out the starter for what's in the recipe. If you added 100 grams of starter you'd reduce the liquid and the flour in the recipe by 50 grams each. Sometimes it requires some tweaking but that's the basic idea.
xoxo - Amy

I am in the process of developing my second sourdough starter, the first one started about 6 months ago according to the instructions on this blog. After several failed attempts at baking a loaf with it, a friend of mine who is a commercial baker said "well of course it didn't work, you can't use store-bought yeast to create a sourdough starter, it reproduces more quickly than most of the natural yeasts you'll 'catch' and will cause problems with proofing."
Obviously you and others have had some success with this recipe, but that statement perfectly describes the issues I had with my previous starter, and I rarely have proofing problems with my normal GF bread. I'll try to remember to check back in when my current starter has a few resultant loaves.

About Amy

Living free of refined sugars and gluten since 2004 has allowed me to live a fulfilled, healthy life. My food cravings, migraines, and depression vanished and was able to maintain a 60+ pound weight loss. Today I live with enormous freedom. Join me as I create healthier food that's delicious. I'll help you do the same.